Bio
My mom called me up the morning of my last birthday. She always calls me early to make sure she is the first to wish me a Happy Birthday and sing. This year when she called, she told me some very important information (this is an exact quote):

"Carmine, on the day you were born, when I was going into labor. I had a meatball parmesan hero before leaving the house. I knew they wouldn't feed me anything good in the hospital, so I made sure to have a meatball parmesan hero first...then I had you" - My Mom


My mom has known me since birth, but you can also check out my Wikipedia Article
Need promo photos for printing? promo-print.zip
Need promo photos for websites? promo-web.zip
Please credit photos with: "TheDancersEye.com" Thanks!
Music Workshop Teacher and Performer
I absolutely love teaching. I mostly teach drum workshops for the Middle Eastern hand-drum known as the doumbek (also known as the darbuka and tabla). I feel so fortunate to be able to give others the gift of music. Often, someone who has never played a musical instrument in their life, will be able to play several rhythms after just one class! I get to travel all over the country (and world) teaching workshops. I have instructional videos and I've recently started offering Skype lessons. I love what I do!

I have had the joy of teaching and performing in several Bellydance Festivals. Here is a list of states where I have taught: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington

List of countries where I have taught: Greece, Hungary, Italy, Mexico

Additionally, sheet music and recordings of mine are being used for Carnegie Hall's Citi Global Encounters program which introduces high school students to music styles from around the world.

I perform several times a week here in New York City with a different ensembles as well as at several Bellydance Festivals around the country. When traveling, it's a lot of fun to quickly put together a house band and play music for dancers. I also like to organize jams and encourage everyone to play music with me regardless of their skill level or experience.
Licensed Music
Music of mine has been licensed for several TV shows and DVDs.

Music by just me
  • Christiane Amanpour: Back to the Beginning - ABC TV
  • Beyond Belief: The Miracle Mysteries - ABC TV
  • Fantasy Bellydance: Desire - World Dance New York DVD

Music by Djinn
  • Christiane Amanpour: Back to the Beginning - ABC TV
  • Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist - ABC TV
  • Secrets of the Sistine - ABC TV
  • Anthony Bourdain No Reservations: Istanbul - Travel Channel
  • Gothic Bellydance Revelations - World Dance New York DVD
  • Sensual Bellydance - World Dance New York DVD
  • Belly Dance With Jim Boz - Jim Boz CD

Music from Shake Em Up
  • Pop, Lock and Shimmy - Cheeky Girls Productions DVD
  • Killer Ziller - Cheeky Girls Productions DVD
  • Music from Pangia
  • American Belly Dance Legends - Amaya Productions DVD

Music by Paige23
  • Ed - NBC TV
  • Medium - NBC TV

Sheet Music
  • Music of Turkey: Cultural Crossroads - Carnegie Hall Instructional sheet music/CD
Computer Programming and Technology
I've been programming computers since I was 10 years old when I received my first computer and Apple ][+

Some of my roles and prior accomplishments below:

Chief Executive Officer
  • CEO of Team5 Corporation

Chief Technical Officer
  • CTO of North American Internet Service
  • CTO of ClickAndBind, LLC.
  • CTO of HelloTIM

University Degree
  • PhD in Computer Science from Pace University
  • MS Computer Science from Georgia Tech
  • BS Computer Science from Stony Brook University

Certificates/Other
  • Nanodegree: Intro to Programming
  • EdX/MITx 11.126x: Introduction to Game Design
  • EdX/RITx GAME101x: Video Game Design History
  • EdX/RITx GAME102x: Video Game Design and Balance
  • EdX/UCSanDiegoX: LTM1x Minecraft, Coding and Teaching (LearnToMod)
  • EdX/GTx CS1301x Introduction to Computing using Python

Teaching
  • Coding with Carmine videos.
  • Pace University: Computer Programming I (CS 121)
  • Pace University: Data Structures and Algorithms (CS 241)
  • Pace University: Game Programming for Everyone (CIS 151)
  • Pace University: History of Video Games (CIS 102Z)
  • NYU: Bridge to Tandon
  • NYU: Game Programming (CSUY 3113)
  • NYU: Game Design (CSUY 4553/6553)
  • The New School University: Games 101 (PUFFY 1221)
  • The New School University: Game Design (PNNY 1121)

Game Development
  • A.L.E.X. - A "Programming Puzzle Game" for iOS/Android - Used in education programs in U.S. and U.K.
  • Quintet - A "Crew" game where multiple people control the same space ship (cross platform) - Published on Steam. Successful Kickstarter Campaign which raised 4x required goal.

Technologies I'm using/into these days:
  • Web Development - C#, Javascript, HTML, CSS
  • Game Development - Unity3D
  • Databases - MSSQL, MongoDB
  • Amazon Web Services - EC2, S3, SQS, SES, IAM
Discography
Paige23: Let Yourself Fall
Release Date: 01/07/2002
Instruments: Bass Guitar, Mandolin, Djembe
Paige23's second release (the first featuring me). This was my first real experience with recording an album. Three of the songs on this CD were licensed to television programs!
Carmine T. Guida: Not Alone
Release Date: 01/01/2003
Instruments: Acoustic Guitar
This is my first time writing my own music. These instrumental songs (played on guitar) are little themes and anthems from when I first moved to NYC.
Efendi: Live at Le Figaro
Release Date: 09/01/2003
Instruments: Bass Doumbek
For years Sunday night at Le Figaro equals live Middle-Eastern music with fabulous Bellydancers. This CD features some of our favorite tunes.
Paige23: In Retrospect
Release Date: 02/01/2005
Instruments: Bass Guitar
Paige23's third release. This album is full of beautifully crafted songs about love found, lost then found again, then maybe lost again...
Pangia: Volume 3
Release Date: 03/01/2005
Instruments: Doumbek, Bass Doumbek, Riq
A timeless fusion of traditonal mid eastern, world and original music, exciting ethnic rhythms, soulful and haunting vocals. For your dancing & Listening pleasure.
ShakeEmUp: Bellydance Drum Solos
Release Date: 10/14/2005
Instruments: Doumbek
My first release of music for bellydancing. Designed with dancers and drummers in mind, this CD has a variety of drum solos ranging from simple to complex.
Pangia: Volume 4 - Dreams
Release Date: 03/01/2006
Instruments: Doumbek, Bass Doumbek, Riq
Traditional, Classic, and Original music performed on ethnic instruments for many different dance styles, oud enthusiasts as well as listening.
Djinn: The Middle East Side
Release Date: 10/01/2006
Instruments: Cümbüs, Riq
Istanbul meets Brooklyn in Djinn's first release. This album will get you hip dropping, popping and locking with what we call "East Coast Tribal"
Melissa and Carmine: Simplified Middle Eastern Songs for Learning and Practice Volume 1
Release Date: 03/01/2007
Instruments: Doumbek
No frills, no fills, no crazy drumming, only what you need to learn these great Middle Eastern tunes.
Pangia: Volume 5 - West of East
Release Date: 03/01/2007
Instruments: Doumbek, Bass Doumbek, Riq
A unique collection of original, tribal and traditional world, Mid-East and Belly Dance music with exciting drum solos and exotic instrumentation.
Melissa and Carmine: Simplified Middle Eastern Songs for Learning and Practice Volume 2
Release Date: 07/01/2007
Instruments: Doumbek
12 new old songs for learning and practice. Dust off that high school band instrument and get playing!
Pete List: Songs For Kassar
Release Date: 10/01/2007
Instruments: Oud, Kanun
Composed by Pete List for the tribal belly dance duo Kassar, this disc is an eclectic mix of world music sounds with African and Arabic percussion, human beatbox, strings, sitar, oud, kanun and vocals.
Djinn: The Silent D
Release Date: 5/01/2009
Instruments: Cümbüs, Riq
Djinn's second release continues the modern tradition of Middle East meets Manhattan.
Noudles
Release Date: 6/15/2011
Instruments: Electric Oud
I decided one day to record myself noodling on my new electric oud. The result... Noudles. Enjoy this collection of improvisations brought to you from my living room in New York City.
Spontaneous Percussion
Release Date: 8/1/2011
Instruments: Doumbek, Riq
Me and Darbuka Dave! This album is chock full of Middle Eastern beats with doumbek, riq, frame drum and more. Drum along or get up and shake a tail feather.
Middle Eastern Rhythms for Practice
Release Date: 4/1/2015
Instruments: Doumbek, Riq
A collection of 11 popular Middle Eastern rhythms at various tempos with some jams thrown in for fun.
Videography
The Heartbeat of Bellydance
Release Date: 08/14/2005
Instruments: Bass Doumbek
The end of this DVD features a live performance by Jenna, Raquy and Myself.
ShakeEmUp: Bellydance Drum Solos
Release Date: 10/14/2005
Instruments: Doumbek
A performance DVD featuring emerging artists from New York Citys dynamic belly dance scene. The drum solo, the traditional finale of a belly dancers nightclub show, provides drummers and dancers alike with an opportunity to showcase their technical prowess.
I Love Turkish Bellydance!
Release Date: 01/16/2007
Instruments: Doumbek
The end of this DVD features a performance by Sarah Skinner with live drumming by myself, Brad Mack and Pete List.
Baby Beginner Doumbek Workshop
Release Date: 10/01/2007
Instruments: Doumbek
My first instructional DVD. Perfect for beginners and first-timers. Filmed live in 3 different locations to capture my enthusiasm about teaching.
Begintermediate Doumbek Workshop
Release Date: 07/20/2009
Instruments: Doumbek
My second instructional DVD. People wanted the next level, so here it is! I teaching switching between rhythms as well as the pop and finger roll. Also filmed live, but with different jokes this time.

In addition to the above mentioned videos that I performed in, music of mine can be found on the following DVDs
Sensual Bellydance, Gothic Bellydance Revelations, Fantasy Bellydance: Desire, Pop, Lock and Shimmy, Killer Ziller, American Belly Dance Legends